by Ashley Shea

Created on: July 11, 2009

With any career, there's always room for improvement. What you choose to do to increase your teaching skills will depend on where you are in your career plan, time you have available and the amount of improvement you want to make. Here's a list of things you may want to consider doing to take your teaching career to the next level. You'll know which one(s) is right for you at this moment. Keep the others in mind for another time.

1. Recharge your batteries.
If you are feeling burned out and are simply grateful to have made it through another year, it's time to put everything aside and take time for yourself. Do all the things you enjoy doing that make you feel refreshed and energized. Don't worry about planning for next year - there will be time for that. Give yourself the time you need first.

2. Attend a workshop or class.
Choose a topic you are interested in learning more about. It could be something directly related to teaching or a topic that will feed your instruction next year. Even if there is no connection between the topic and what you teach, whether it lasts only a few hours or several weeks, you will benefit from taking the class because you'll be reminded what it feels like to be on the other side of the desk.

3. Take yourself on field trips.
This may be especially helpful if budget cuts have eliminated the possibility of field trips for your students. Go to the places you'd love to take your students if you could. If possible, bring along a video camera or regular camera to capture those images you'd like your students to see. Collect brochures and other information pieces you can use in your lesson planning.

4. Search the internet for new ideas.
There are many sites where teachers share lesson plans. Here's one site. Use a topic you teach along with "lesson plan" in the search term to find plans more suited for your classroom. Reading others' ideas may inspire you to try new approaches with your teaching.

While you're at it, search for sites your students would enjoy that connect to the topics you teach. Yahooligans is a good place to start if you teach elementary or middle-school students.

5. Join a group for teachers.
Use MeetUp to find groups in your area. You can find virtual groups at YahooGroups, on Facebook, and through internet search engines. Talking with people who share your career can be another way to charge your batteries while also providing inspiration and an audience with whom you can discuss new ideas.

6. Become a student for a day.
What is it that your students enjoy doing? Plan a day, or several, to do the things your students do. Watch the shows they talk about. Go see a movie that is all the rage for the age level you teach. Try an activity they enjoy, like riding a bike or, if you are adventurous, skateboarding.


Wherever you go, whatever you do this summer, take some time to change your focus. Become the student and you will learn. Look through the lens of the topics you teach and you'll find interesting connections that will inspire your teaching.

Learn more about this author, Ashley Shea.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.